GPS location in labview displaying map and using shapefile

[Dashiva]

Objective::

I need to maintain in Labview the visual representation of the past and present location of the path a robot takes with regard to a bounded area (defined by a shapefile) and represented on a geo-referenced satellite image.  (The computer running the program will not be connected to the internet.)

Purpose::

Help aid a user with traversing a robot via tele-operation to new locations that lie within a specified boundary.

Problem Statement::

1.        I need to bring in externally compiled code written in JAVA that performs the intricate details of the above-defined objective.  (I would assume utilizing the web-tools of labview). 

2.       I need to perform the entire objective inside labview

Either which of these present their unique troubles in accomplishing the objective.  In number 1 I am uncertain how to bring in JAVA code or how to display the results.  For number 2 I have investigated several possible routes that are listed below in the “Background.”

Background::

a.        Shapefiles can be viewed by a multitude of third party software packages.  The one I would like to use (by problem method number 2) would be mapwindow.org.  The company who made this also created an active x component, of which does not directly import into labview (I would assume that I would have to pull in some DLL files and operate from here ~ of which I am not 100% certain to do).

b.      I was investigating the use of Google Earth to do most of the grunt work for this particular project.  The major drawback (which I need to double check) is that I don’t believe that I can “Save” a location in Google Earth, and carry that information over to another computer to be used entirely offline.   (A particular goal for this robot is to be run in very rough terrain, hence no internet connection.  Mobile Wifi and Satellite Internet is out of the question).  This still may be a viable option to do the work required.

c.       For problem statement number 1, I won’t be able to release that code since it is proprietary to another company.

Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!!

[Courtney_L]

Hi Dashiva,

In terms of integrating LabVIEW and JAVA code, there is a really good KnowledgeBase article on the subject (How do I Integrate Java with National Instruments Products). There are two ways for you to get LabVIEW to call JAVA code. One is to build a DLL that hosts the JVM and uses the JNI interface to call JAVA methods. The second is to convert the .class or .jar files into .NET and use the LabVIEW support for .NET. The more supported method is probably the first of these options. Once you have the DLLs built, you can use the Call Library Function Node to import your JAVA functionality. 

Regarding pulling in ActiveX components to LabVIEW, there's another useful KnowledgeBase article (ActiveX and LabVIEW). You're right about the .DLL files, I typically just load them via the regsvr32 command.

I hope this helps as a starting point.

Best,

[Courtney_L]

(Actually, re: JAVA support, it is probably easiest just to communicate over TCP/IP just sending data).